Frankie Ballard will perform Dec. 5 at the State Theatre.KALAMAZOO — Frankie Ballard ain’t singin’ no “Deck the Halls” when he returns to Kalamazoo for a holiday-season concert at the State Theatre Dec. 5.

Yes, it’s being billed as his “Country Christmas,” but Ballard, who moved to Nashville, Tenn., in the spring after signing a record deal with Warner Bros., is more intent on throwing a big ol’ “party” for his hometown fans than crooning about some Jack Frost nipping at your nose. Ballard will be joined by some of his Kalamazoo friends, such as local guitarist Eddie Robinson, the Shelagh Brown Band and bluesman-turned-bluegrass singer Jordan Lunardini and his new project, the Jordan Lunardini Trio.

“I think it’s going to be a rockin’ night,” Ballard said during a phone interview from Nashville. “We’ll do a couple Christmas songs, but the biggest thing is I wanted to throw a Christmas party for the local people.”

Before signing his record deal, Ballard was a regular at bars and festivals around the area. But if you were younger than 21, you had trouble catching him.

Ballard said he hopes to change that next weekend, as this will be an all ages show.

NEW LOOK LUNARDINI

Local blues fans might be surprised to see, or more accurately hear,
Jordan Lunardini’s new project, which will open for Frankie Ballard
Dec. 5 at the State Theatre.

Lunardini is fronting a bluegrass/gospel trio along with sisters Amanda and Crystal Hoffman, of Hastings.

“It’s really different,” Lunardini said. “I thought it would be cool to do something with a girl band.”Lunardini
praised the musical chops of the Hoffmans, who play a trio of
instruments — Amanda on upright bass, mandolin and guitar; Crystal on
upright bass, fiddle and guitar.

“I’m just looking forward to a little jam ... I just want people to have a good time. I want them to feel like it’s more than a show at the State Theatre, it’s a Christmas party,” he said. “We’re going to fly by the seat of our pants.”

The odds of seeing Ballard in such an environment may be a long shot in the near future. Ballard said he’s recorded six songs for what could be a new album, possibly due out in the summer. After the Dec. 5 show, he’ll be off to Los Angeles to perform for Warner Bros. executives. “After that trip, we’ll have it locked in and know when they’re going to put it (new single) out there,” he said.

In January, he’ll return to the recording studio to finish the back half of the album. Of the six songs he’s completed, Ballard said he has three candidates for a radio single in early 2010. The resulting full-length release will depend on the success of the radio play of the single, Ballard said.

Since he said the lineup would play “a couple” holiday favorites, we pressed him harder for a hint, including if any costume would be in order.

“Elvis probably would’ve done it one point or another,” Ballard said. “I’m a pretty big Elvis fan. ... So I may bust out some gags.”